Aerial Communication Hub Drone for In-Vehicle Wireless Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current logistics operations face challenges in monitoring items within delivery vehicles, inspecting delivery vehicle parts, and maintaining effective communication between devices within the vehicle, due to limitations in RFID read range, costly and time-consuming manual inspections, and limited communication ranges.
Innovation Solution
Deployment of an aerial communication drone as a relocatable communication hub within the delivery vehicle to establish and maintain wireless data communication paths between broadcast-enabled devices, using a paired drone system with lifting engines, a communication hub interface, and an onboard controller to adaptively manage flight and communication operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If RFID readers and antennas are used to monitor items in shipment storage, then item monitoring capability is provided, but the read range limitation restricts coverage in large storage areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an aerial drone that operates in three-dimensional space above the shipment storage, transitioning from two-dimensional ground-based RFID readers to three-dimensional aerial monitoring. This dimensional change allows the drone to hover at optimal heights and positions, extending the effective monitoring coverage area and overcoming the read range limitation of fixed ground-based readers.
Solution Approach 2:
The drone is designed with movable and adjustable components including hover capability, rotatable cameras, and repositionable sensors. This dynamic design allows the monitoring system to adapt its position and orientation to optimize read range and coverage, enabling the system to dynamically adjust to different storage configurations and item locations within the cargo hold.
2Measurement precision
If manual inspection of delivery vehicle parts is performed, then inspection thoroughness is achieved, but the process is expensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical inspection with an automated aerial drone system equipped with cameras, sensors, and imaging devices. The drone autonomously navigates around the delivery vehicle, capturing images and data without human intervention, thereby eliminating the time and labor costs associated with manual inspection while maintaining or improving inspection thoroughness through consistent, repeatable automated processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The inspection system is designed to be self-sufficient, with the drone autonomously performing navigation, data collection, and initial analysis without requiring continuous human operation. The system can independently complete inspection tasks and generate reports, reducing dependency on human inspectors and significantly decreasing inspection time while maintaining high thoroughness standards.
3Reliability
If fixed communication infrastructure is used in delivery vehicles, then communication stability is provided, but the system lacks adaptability to changing vehicle configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The communication system uses a mobile drone platform with adjustable positioning and reconfigurable antenna orientations rather than fixed infrastructure. This dynamic design allows the communication nodes to adapt their positions and configurations based on the vehicle's current state, cargo arrangement, and operational requirements, maintaining reliable communication links despite changing vehicle configurations during transit.
Solution Approach 2:
The aerial drone serves multiple functions including monitoring, inspection, and communication relay. This multi-functional design provides a universal platform that can adapt to various operational scenarios and vehicle configurations, replacing the need for dedicated fixed infrastructure for each function and enhancing overall system versatility while maintaining communication stability.
4Measurement precision
If multiple fixed monitors are deployed in shipment storage, then comprehensive item coverage is achieved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the monitoring function from multiple fixed ground-based devices and consolidates it into a single aerial drone platform. By removing the constraint of fixed positioning and centralizing monitoring capabilities in one mobile unit, the system achieves comprehensive coverage through strategic hovering and scanning rather than requiring numerous distributed fixed monitors, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The transition from multiple two-dimensional fixed monitors to a single three-dimensional aerial drone enables comprehensive coverage with fewer devices. The drone's ability to operate in the vertical dimension and reposition dynamically allows one unit to cover the same area that would otherwise require multiple fixed monitors, simplifying the system architecture while maintaining or improving coverage effectiveness.
Data Source
AI summary
Drone-based systems and methods are described for providing an airborne relocatable communication hub within a delivery vehicle for broadcast-enabled devices maintained within the delivery vehicle. Such a method has an aerial communication drone paired with the delivery vehicle transitioning to an active power state, uncoupling from a secured position on an internal docking station fixed within the delivery vehicle and then moving to a first deployed airborne position within the delivery vehicle. At a first position, the method has the aerial communication drone establishing a first wireless data communication path to a first broadcast-enabled device within the delivery vehicle, then establishing a second wireless data communication path to a second broadcast-enabled device within the delivery vehicle. The drone then couples the first and second wireless data communication paths it established operating as the airborne relocatable communication hub for the devices.